Home
by CSINYNut
Summary: A new one I am working on...When tragedy strikes in Miami, Cassandra D'Angelo must figure out where to go, stay where she is or follow her heart home and face what she left behind. Disclaimer: I don't own what you reconize. Also, this is a wee bit AU as you will be able to tell, my preference as it will be able to follow my train of thought.
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone, so this is a new project I am slowly working on. I hope you all enjoy it, please let me know, although I don't like flames, so if you don't like it at all please don't ruin my thunder.

* * *

**September 19, 2004- Miami, Florida**

"Are you sure about this?" she asked

"Positive. This is the only way I can ensure everyone's safety. I wish I could change the way things were but I'm sorry," the man answered.

"Don't apologize. You've just been doing your job. So no one knows?"

"Nope. Just you, H and Alexx. I shouldn't have even told you. But I love you and respect you enough to tell you."

"Well, I appreciate that."

The man smiled. "I should get going."

"Okay do you know where you are going to end up?" He shook his head. "Well, if you are ever able to, look me up. I will miss you." She wrapped her arms around his waist.

He kissed her on her head. "I'll miss you too. Maybe someday soon we'll be together again." He pulled out of his best friend's grasp, gave her a small smile, and walked away.

Cassandra D'Angelo knew at that moment she would either never see her best friend again or it would be years before they met up.

* * *

**September 20, 2004**

Cassandra sat at her desk and looked at the time. She knew that at any moment her boss would come in and deliver the news he didn't know she already knew. An hour ago, she'd watched Calleigh Ducaune go running out of her office with her kit in hand. She's seen everyone look around for answers.

She realized quickly she didn't have to wait for long. Horatio Caine was slowly walking towards her office that she shared with her best friend. He opened the door and she hoped she looked as shocked as he thought she would be.

"Horatio, I'm just about done with these reports and they are yours," she said.

He put his hand on hers, stopping her from writing. "Stop and look at me." Cassandra stopped and looked up. "It's about Tim."

"What did he do know?"

"There was an incident when we went to the jeweller's."

"Just tell me." The tears started. She knew what was coming but couldn't stop them.

"Somehow…he was shot."

Cassandra held back a gasp. "Is he okay? What hospital is he at?"

Horatio grabbed Cassandra by the shoulders and held on to make her stay. "He didn't make it. But Alexx is with him."

Cassandra felt the air leave her body. She knew this was coming but to actually hear it being said, it was all slowly becoming a reality.

"I want to see him."

"I'm not sure that is such a good idea."

"I don't care what you think. He is…was my best friend and I am going to see him whether you like it or not." Cassandra pulled herself from Horatio's grasp and walked out of her office. By the time she got to the elevator she knew Horatio was right next to her.

When the elevator hit the bottom floor, she wasn't sure if she really wanted to see him. No one else knew that Cassandra knew that it was all a ruse. But that didn't matter. Cassandra wanted to see her best friend for the last time whether he was alive or not.

Cassandra stepped into the morgue and saw him lying on the cold metal table motionless. If she didn't know any better she'd think Tim Speedle was actually dead. She slowly walked over and saw him up close. Cassandra couldn't keep the tears at bay.

She ran her fingers through his hair. "I'm going to miss you. I love you so much." Cassandra bent down and gave Tim a kiss on his forehead. She turned and looked at Alexx. "Please, take care of him."

Alexx took Cassandra's hand. "He is in good hands with me. I will take good care of him." Cassandra nodded, took one last look and quickly left.

Alexx turned to Horatio. "Do you think she is going to be okay?"

"She'll be fine," a voice from behind them said.

Alexx jumped. "Don't do that."

Tim chuckled. "What? Not used to dead bodies talking back Alexx? Cassie will be fine. She's tough girl. She's got enough family and friends around her, she'll bounce back."

"Did you tell her?" Horatio asked

"Does it look like I told her? You told me I wasn't allowed. That I had to hide everything from the one person who knows me the best. So no, I didn't tell her. If I had she would be done here with us."

Alexx grabbed Speed in a hug. "Sweetie, we know this is tough but it is what was best for everyone involved."

"Still doesn't make me feel any better. So what now?"

* * *

**September 25, 2004**

During a few days off work, Cassandra met her best friend's aunt and uncle, helped them plan a department funeral and slowly started packing her own apartment. It wasn't until she started looking around it, did she realize how much of Tim's things were actually there. Much to everyone's amusement the extent of Tim Speedle and Cassandra D'Angelo's relationship was the fact that they lived together.

After meeting once Cassandra started at the Miami-Dade Crime Lab, they struck up a friendship most people only dreamed about. They rarely fought, were able to live under the same roof with barely any conflict. With both detectives having a little OCD the place was always kept clean.

Cassandra had only packed up a few of Tim's things before she changed her mind and put them back.

Now the only thing left to do was to attend her best friend's funeral. She looked herself in the mirror, in a straight black dress, her hair down and straight. Deciding on wearing flats instead of heels, she grabbed her camisole and headed out the door.

When she got to the cemetery, she saw chairs, sitting in rows, in front of a lone headstone. She decided to take a seat in the middle of everything, even though she could tell the rest of the team were sitting in the front row. Cassandra closed her eyes and said a silent prayer. She suddenly felt a presence beside her. She slowly opened her eyes and looked to her right. She gave her new seat companion a small smile.

"What are you doing sitting back here?" Tim's uncle asked her.

Cassandra shrugged. "I don't think I could handle sitting up there, looking at that headstone."

"Well," Todd said. "I think with everyone else up there we can handle it together. What do you say?" He held out his hand and watched as Cassandra slowly composed herself and took his hand. Together they walked to the front row and they say down. Cassandra sat between Todd and Horatio and knew she would be able to handle it.

If you were to ask Cassandra what went on during her best friend's funeral, she wouldn't be able to tell you. She couldn't find it in herself to pay attention. The only thing she could think about was whether or not Tim was actually in the casket. She could feel her breathing speeding up and it wasn't until someone put their arm around her, did Cassandra start to calm down.

The rest of the service was an even bigger blur for Cassandra. After she got up and put her rose on the casket, she headed to her car. Cursing herself for getting there so late and having to park so far away. Cassandra realized that the walk was actually doing her some good. It gave her a chance to figure out what to do next. Should she stay in Miami where everything reminded her of her dead friend? Or should she go back where she came from? New York City. Where the rest of her family was.

"You know, if you don't pay attention to where are walking, you could end up in an empty plot?

Cassandra jumped and looked up. "What are you doing here? At your own funeral. Someone could see you."

Tim laughed. "I didn't actually go. I've been waiting here for you. I wanted to come and say goodbye."

"I thought we already did that?"

"Yeah, well after you came down to the morgue, I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Cassandra shook her head. "I'm never going to be okay with this. This shouldn't have happened."

"Hey. It just means I am that good at my job. I don't like this anymore than you do. But I want you to do me a favor."

"What?"

"Go back to New York. Stop running from your family. We both know how well your brother is doing. You don't need to be here anymore."

"I also don't need this job," Tim gave her a skeptical look. "I've been thinking about it for a while. You've been the only thing keeping me here. If I go back to New York then I give up this job and start fresh."

"Then that's what you do. You need to be happy. So go, back to New York and start fresh." Tim looked around. "I should leave. Someone is bound to come and check up on you and I kind of ditched the goons and they are probably going to find me soon. Just remember I love you." He wrapped his arms around her.

"I love you too," Cassandra whispered. She felt him quickly let her go and closed her eyes. She kept reminding herself that it was for the best if she left. The less memories of Tim the better. She turned, got into her car and followed the rest of the vehicles out of the cemetery.

When she pulled up in front of her apartment building, Cassandra was immediately dreading going inside. She could already feel the emptiness that would accompany going into that apartment. But she decided to be a big girl about it and headed inside.

As she stepped off the elevator she let out a small laugh when she saw what was waiting for her. Every single member of the team was either sitting beside her door or standing waiting. Eric Delko was the first person to see her.

"It's about time you got here," he said.

"Sorry. I took my time." She let everyone in and watched as everyone took in the look of the apartment. "It's not as empty as it feels."

Cassandra kept herself busy as the day progressed. She made sure there were enough drinks, as everyone else brought an assortment of food. After a few hours, Alexx grabbed her hand and made her sit down.

Horatio came over and sat down with her. "I've arranged for you to take an extra week off."

Cassandra took a deep breath. "I was going to come and talk to you about that. Um…I'm leaving."

Silence fell across the apartment. Tim's aunt and uncle, who had arrived not long before her announcement had a smile on their faces.

"What do you mean leaving?" Calliegh asked.

"Well, I've been thinking about it over the last few days. I am going to head back to New York. If Tim's death has taught me anything it's that I've got to stop running from my family."

Everyone seemed to understand where she was coming from.

"I'll send a recommendation to the head of the Crime Lab there," Horatio offered.

Cassandra shook her head. "No, I think I need to do something different for a while. Like work in a bar or something." Everyone let out a small laugh. Tim's aunt Carla grabbed her hand. "When are you going to leave?"

"Well, I have to talk my landlord and then find a place in New York. Then pack everything up, so who knows."

Todd looked at her. "Well, I think we can take care of the apartment in New York."

"How?"

"When Tim's parents died, there was an apartment in Manhattan that they had left for him. I think they were kind of hoping before they died that he would move back. But New York holds too many bad memories for him. We've always had the key. So now all you have to do is talk to your landlord and pack."

Cassandra took a deep breath. She couldn't believe everything was actually coming together. "I guess I can talk to my landlord tomorrow and start packing."

The rest of the night consisted of everyone just enjoying each other's company and basically having a goodbye party for Cassandra at the time.

Cassandra got up earlier than usual the next morning. She went down to her landlords apartment, gave him her notice to which he, nicely, gave her two weeks. By the time she got back to her apartment, she had her next week planned out in her head. She was going to call and get a small moving truck for everything, including her car. She thought about driving but she knew that she would never make it alone. She had packed up everything in the apartment, gathered everyone from the lab and was finally able to make her way to New York.

As Cassandra was waiting for her flight to be called, she felt someone sit down beside her. Her first thought was Tim had found d her but she looked beside her before she opened her mouth and saw Horatio sitting there.

"You didn't have to come."

"I wasn't going to let you leave without saying goodbye."

Cassandra smiled and stood up when she heard her flight being called. "Well, thank you. For everything."

Horatio nodded. "Just remember, if you need that recommendation it's sitting there waiting for you."

"Thank you. I want to try and figure out who I am besides a cop." She looked over at her gate. "I should go. Thank you again for everything."

Cassandra gave Horatio a hug and headed over to the gate. As she found her seat on the plane, she found herself feeling happy for the first time in three weeks.

After being back in New York for two weeks, Cassandra couldn't believe how adjusted she felt. She had settled into her new apartment and had even found a job at a local bar. She had been a bartender while in college and everything seemed to come back to her quickly. The bar she worked at was, ironically, a local cop bar. Even though she saw the same cops during every shift, she never felt a twinge of regret.

Cassandra got to work on a Tuesday night and immediately had a smile on.

"There she is, my favorite bartender," one of her regular customers, Tommy said.

"Tommy, I'm only your favorite bartender because I am a woman and I keep the peanuts refilled," Cassandra laughed.

"You're a woman after my own heart."

After a few hours of continuous refills and new customers, Cassandra finally was able to take her break. She headed outside for some air. She thought about having a smoke but reminded herself that she had quit three years prior. She felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She jumped and turned around.

"Jesus, Tommy, you scared me. I thought you went home long ago."

"Well, I did. But I wanted to come back and see you," Tommy moved a little close to Cassandra, which caused her to move close to the brick wall.

"For what? I need to get back to work Tommy," Cassandra knew what was going on. It happened once a month. Tommy's girlfriend would kick him out and he would come back to the bar and try and get with her.

"You know how good we are together. Come home with me tonight."

"Tommy, we've been over this. Go home and get some sleep. You love your girlfriend and she loves you."

Tommy grabbed her arm. Cassandra's police instincts kicked in. She slammed his wrist with her hand and forced him against the wall.

"I've told you before Tommy. NO! Now go home," she opened the back door and went back to work. The rest of the night flew by and before she knew it, Cassandra was counting the cash and getting ready to head home.

It was around 4:30am and Cassandra had just finished closing off the till when she saw a tall man with blue eyes, dressed in a pair of jeans and a dress shirt, standing at the door. He knocked on the window when he noticed her staring back at him. She walked over and unlocked the door.

"We're closed," she told the man.

"NYPD. I'm looking for a Cassandra D'Angelo."

"That's me. What can I do for you?"

"Detective Flack. I'm here about Tommy Martin."

Cassandra rolled her eyes . "What has he done now?"

Flack looked at her. "This would be better discussed inside." Cassandra opened the door wider and let him in. "Was Mr. Martin here last night?"

Cassandra nodded. "What did he do?"

"He died. We found his body two blocks from here. His girlfriend told us you were friends. Were you?"

Cassandra knew where the questions were leading, having asked the same type of questions before. "Am I a suspect, Detective Flack?"

"Answer the question and we shall see."

Cassandra went back behind the bar to finish tidying up. "You see Detective, I know where this is going and I know I don't have to answer your question."

Flack looked at Cassandra from across the bar top. "Either you cooperate now and answer my questions here, or we go downtown."

"Well then Detective, I guess you better go and get your car because I know my rights. And while you are at it, you might want to look me up. I was a cop in Miami, so maybe show a little respect."

After a very tense car ride, Flack showed Cassandra to an interrogation room where she sat and waited.

Twenty minutes later, Flack walked in and sat down. Cassandra looked around. "I must say, the view is different from this side of the table."

Flack chuckled. "I see you were a CSI with the Miami-Dade Crime Lab. What I don't understand is why you are now a bartender?"

"When you see your best friend lying on a cold metal slab it tends to do something to a person. I needed a change. So I came back to New York."

"Okay. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been an ass. Can we start at the beginning?" Cassandra nodded. "Okay. When did you see Tommy Martin last?"

Cassandra went through her previous night. After a while, Flack and Cassandra sorted out all the information that was needed.

"Well, Mrs. D'Angelo you are free to go."

Cassandra got up. When her hand was on the doorknob, she stopped. She knew her brother was with the NYPD, this was going to be her only opportunity to find him.

She turned back to Flack. "It's Messer."

"Pardon?"

"My last name. It's not D'Angelo. Well it is but not really. It's Messer." She opened the door and left. The weight on her shoulders, that she didn't even know was there, was all of a sudden gone. Now all she could do was wait.


	2. Chapter 2

Here's chapter 2. Hope you all like it. Thank you to all of you who are now following me and following this story. Also, if anyone is looking for a really good Flack/oc story, look up Madison Bellows. She has done an amazing series (hope she doesn't mind that I am throwing that out there, only because she is one of my biggest supporters on here, even if she doesn't realize it).

Anyways, on with the story. :)

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Before Flack could even get a word out or even process what had just been said, Cassandra was gone. He sat there thinking about what was just said to him.

"My last name. It's not D'Angelo; well it is but not really. It's Messer."

Flack got up. 'Maybe it's a cousin or something,' he thought. 'There's no way he would have a sister and not tell everyone. Especially Lindsay. Especially me. Unless he doesn't know about her.' He walked out of the interrogation room and headed towards the front door.

He made the short walk to the crime lab and headed to the 35th floor. When the elevator doors opened, the first person to spot him was the CSI on his case, Lindsay Messer, formally Monroe.

When his best friend came to him and told him his girlfriend was pregnant and they were eventually going to get married, Flack was inwardly laughing, on the outside he was the supportive friend Danny needed. Flack slowly saw a change in his friend as the birth of his daughter got closer. When everyone was inside Lindsey's hospital room and Flack saw Danny holding his baby girl, Flack couldn't believe the peaceful look on his face.

"So," Lindsay said interrupting Don's thoughts. "What did the bartender have to say?"

"Few things actually. Tommy Martin was drinking last night at the bar but not having an affair with the bartender like the girlfriend thought. Turns out, according to the bartender Cassandra, Mr. Martin would always get a little flirty with her, but she always turned him down. That's all she knew."

Lindsay nodded. "Well, the DNA Sid pulled from under the Vic's nails was a mixture of male and female. Although he said there was a hairline fracture on his wrist."

"That proves the bartenders story. She slammed his hand off of her and she said she hit his wrist. So we are back at square one," Flack sighed.

"Until I go through his clothes. Which I will go and do now. I will call you if I find something."

Flack nodded. "Quick question. Not about the case."

"Okay. What's up?"

"Has Danny ever mentioned any other relatives to you?"

Lindsay frowned and shook her head. "Not really. The only ones he really talks about is everyone I've already met. Why?"

Flack shook his head. "Just wondering. Where is he?"

"Last time I saw him, he was heading to the locker room."

Flack nodded and headed towards the locker room. He didn't really have a plan but he needed to know what was going on.

"Dan, you in here?"

"Yeah Flack. I'm at my locker. What's going on?" Flack walked over to Danny's locker.

"I have a question for you. You have a second?" Danny nodded. "Punch me out if you want but um...do you have any other female family members that you haven't told anyone about?"

Flack saw a quick glimpse of recognition in his friend's eyes. But Danny quickly shook his head.

"Nope. You and Linds have met everyone single living member of my family. Why?"

Don shook his head. "Just wondering." He headed out of the locker room wondering who this mystery woman was.

"Yo Flack." He turned around and saw Danny running after him. "Why were you asking?"

Don took a deep breath. "The bartender I was interviewing, when she was leaving she told me her last name was actually Messer. I don't know if she was telling me the truth so I came to you. As a friend. Is she telling the truth? Who is she?"

Danny took a deep breath. "I don't know. What was her name?"

"Cassandra D'Angelo. She works at a bar down town," Don wasn't sure where this was going. He was slightly worried for both Danny and the mystery woman.

Danny turned around. "I don't know who she is." He quickly walked away.

Don shook his head and decided to head back to the precinct and go through his notes from the witnesses.

Danny walked away wishing he knew what was going on. He headed to his office hoping his wife was in there. He sat at his desk and slowly played things back. He felt bad for lying to his best friend. He did think he knew who the mystery female was but he couldn't be too sure.

He heard the office door open and saw his beautiful wife and their close friend Stella Bonesera walk in. He gave them both a small smile and looked back down at this case notes. He was slowly finding it hard to concentrate on his work with the nagging thought of the mystery woman in his head.

"Hey Linds," he said suddenly, jolting the women from their conversation.

"Yeah. You okay? Did Flack find you?"

"Yeah, he did. What was the name of the bar your Vic went to?"

"Um," she looked down at her desk. "It was Jim's on 42nd. Why?"

"Just some think Flack said. Don't worry about it." Danny looked down at his watch. "I'm going to head out. Can you pick of Lucy from my parents?"

"Yeah, of course. Sweetie, are you okay?" Lindsay stepped over the Danny's desk and put her hand on his shoulder.

He stood up, smiled and gave a small nod "Yeah. Just something's going through my head. I promise I will talk to you later about it." Danny walked out of the office.

"Is he okay?" Stella asked.

"I hope so," Lindsay replied.

Danny looked at the address on the piece of paper in his hand. He didn't know what he was thinking going to the bar but what he did know was that he needed to see who the woman was.

He walked into the bar and quickly found a seat at the bar. Danny looked around and realized that he had actually been there before but not in the last couple of months, due to his growing family.

He noticed there were two bartenders working but only one female, who he assumed was the one he was looking for.

"What can I get for you?" The bartender asked.

"What you have on tap," Danny replied. The bartender set the beer in front of him. "Quick question. Who's the girl?"

The bartender laughed. "That's Cassie. She's our new bartender. Just moved here from Miami. Anything else?"

"Nah. Thanks." Danny sat back and tried to pay attention to the game on the big screen in front of him. The other part of him was slowly trying to piece together this woman.

It came to him after an hour. As he was pulling out his cell to check the time. When he looked up, the female bartender, Cassie, was in front of him facing the back of the bar. He decided to take a risk.

"Cassie?" He whispered.

Cassandra stopped what she was doing. She knew that voice. It chilled her to the bone. She was glad she had told that detective who she was. She turned around and almost dropped the bottle in her hand. There he was.

"Um…yes." She was going to give him the opportunity to figure everything out.

"Don't. Please don't', we know who each other are. I'm not going to cause a scene," Danny reached into his back pocket, pulled out his wallet and pulled out a card. He motioned for a pen and when Cassandra handed him one, he wrote some things down. "Here's my info. Call, stop by, whatever. I know you think I'm mad. Well, I am but that all that matters is that you are back. You are back right?" Cassandra nodded. "Good, Good. Um…I don't know what else to say. I've missed you. But um...I'll let you get back to work. I've gotta get home. It was good to see you." He threw a ten-dollar bill on the counter and walked out of the bar.

Cassandra picked up the card and the money off of the bar top; she handed the money to Mike and headed out of the bar. She leaned against the wall. The ball was now in her court and she wasn't sure what to do about it.

Danny grabbed a cab about two blocks away from the bar. He gave the cabbie his address, sat back and let his thoughts take over. It didn't take long for the memories to take over. But as the memories took over so did the tears, and the pain.

The cabbie shook Danny from his thoughts as he started to yell at him about paying. He threw the money at him and headed up the stairs to the apartment. By the time he got to the front door, he knew the tears were running down his face and there was nothing he could do to stop them. Before he could get his key in the apartment door, it opened in front of him. He looked up into the beautiful eyes of his wife. He fell into her arms and started to cry.

Lindsay felt her husband fall into her arms and could feel him shudder as his emotions took over. She looked over her shoulder and nudged the visitor with her head.

Don Flack quickly got off the couch and helped Lindsay walk Danny over to the couch. He took the spot in the chair across from them and tried to relax.

"Do you want me to leave?" he whispered.

"No, I think this has to do with your questions earlier." Lindsay sat down beside Danny and put her arm around him. "Danny, do you want to talk about what's wrong?"

Danny took his glasses off and tried to calm down. "I don't know. It's very complicated."

"We can do complicated, bud. We're your friends, your family. We will help with whatever is going on," Don replied.

Danny took a deep breath. "Ten years ago, Louie and I got into a lot of trouble. My ma, bless her, hated it. She tried with me, with both of us, she really did." He stopped and Lindsay took his hand to encourage him further. "We had a little sister. She was a beautiful girl, about two years younger than me. When we were getting into trouble, my ma tried to keep my sister out of it. We all wanted better for her. There were lots of girls her age, running of with Tanglewood Boys, getting pregnant."

"So what happened?" Don asked.

"My ma sent her to live with her sister, my aunt Janice, in Jersey. But about two months later, my aunt calls and says she's moving and taking my sister with her. My ma agreed but she made a stipulation that it was to only be until my sister was 18, and then she could do whatever she wanted. She always wanted to stay home, so we figured she would come back home. But then she decided to stay. I never heard from her again. Until now."

"Are you saying what I think you are saying?"

Danny started to let his emotions take over. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I lied."

"Hey. You have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing at all." Lindsay said as she hugged her husband.

Don couldn't believe what he was hearing. Danny's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"She's my baby sister. Cassandra D'Angelo is my sister."


End file.
